Darkness & Light
by Lord Darth Master
Summary: The world of Hyrule has been at peace since the Dark Ages. Now the darkness that had been banished is back and is going to lead Hyrule into Hell. All that is stopping it is a young man and the princess of Hyrule. Rated for language and sexual content.
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: **I do not own the Legend of Zelda or any of the Legend of Zelda characters within. I do not own the majority of the gods in this story. The only thing in this story that is mine are the new characters, storyline, and probably some other stuff.

**Notations: **If you want, you can skip over this section and go right into chapter one. There is important information in here, but it will probably be retold in the story. I'd still read it if I were you. I'd read it, review it, etc. Also, this fic is pretty much just a game that I wrote and decided to put into book format, so you may find it somewhat boring in some places.

**The Legend of Zelda**

**Darkness & Light**

**Prologue: The Creation **

The world of Hyrule is now considered a paradise, but it was not always. The rock that developed into the great continent named after the planet itself was once beneath the raging waters of the boiling ocean. Rain thundered down upon the world without mercy. Lightning struck the ocean, killing all that attempted to develop into life. Darkness covered the planet, for no sun shone above, nor did the moon or the stars. The planet was a dead world… until they came.

Three goddesses saw the dark world and came to it. They banished the darkness with their very essence and brought light to the world. The storm that punished the world abated and the sky shone blue. They created the sun and the stars and three moons in the sky, naming each one in their own honor. Their divine magic raised the continents from beneath the ocean and brought life to the world.

Life flourished upon their influence. Different races of creatures came into being. The humans came first. For years they struggled to take control of the world they lived in and manipulate it to serve them. They used the world to shelter themselves and create homes. They studied the plants and the animals and learned how to hunt and create herbal remedies. For years they lived in peace.

The goddess Nayru was the first to break out and create her own race. She created those who are known as the zora people. Based off the humans in physical shape alone, the zora were a race of strong willed aquatic race that would become known as fish people. Their bodies were covered in skin, ninety-five percent water and thick scales, made of thicker hide. Due to their aquatic lifestyle and a primary fish diet, they took up residence in the lake and river near the north end of the continent and the lake at the western end.

Next, the goddess Farore staked her claim on the world in the forest. She created a small race of humans that never grew beyond their pre-teen years. These children, the kokiri, grew far wiser than their larger counterparts in the art of plant life and herb lore, a fact that the humans took advantage of. Though the kokiri lived in the forest, they were not prepared to deal with the predators that lived in their environment. The humans set up boundaries, taught the kokiri how to protect themselves and how to hunt in exchange for their herbal knowledge.

Din was the last to create people of her own. The goron people were hers. Their thick hide resembled the very rocks that they ingested to live on. Their bodies could withstand burning temperatures, which made the volcano they made their home the perfect place for them. Within the mountain their was a great supply of gemstones that the gorons mined and bartered with the other three races of Hyrule.

Peace flourished and the world was a paradise, for a time. It didn't last. The paradise that the goddesses created shone throughout the heavens and attracted the attention of other divine beings. The first to come was Hiddukel, the god of deceit. He looked upon the humans and saw weakness, though at the same time he something else he longed for. The goddesses had created humans in their own image. The beauty of the humans was considerably less than the goddesses, but it was enough to entice him. He scouted the land of Hyrule, disguised as a man cloaked in black. He found scores of women and convinced them to leave their homes and travel with him to the desert to the far west end of Hyrule. He taught these women how to fight and kill. They became vicious killers who went into the rest of the land. They raided, plundered and killed in the name of Hiddukel.

The goddesses' fury was great when they discovered that their old enemy had come to their world. They attacked the fortress where Hiddukel stayed. They banished him from the world that they created. Though they had lost their god, the women who lived in the desert continued their lives. They continued to kill and slaughter the rest of humanity.

The goddesses realized that the rest of the world would die if the women kept killing. They instructed the humans in combat, taught them how to make weapons and armor and how to defend themselves. Once the humans lives were secure, each goddess moved to teach their own race how to protect themselves. The zora people learned how to use weapons, just as the humans had, though they also learned scores of underwater and aquatic abilities. The gorons learned how to manipulate their natural strength in order to become unbelievably brutal fighters.

Despite her role as the goddess of courage, Farore had not created the kokiri with fighting in mind. She could only teach them how simplistic ways to protect themselves. Their weapons consisted of slingshots that used seeds and rocks as ammo and clubs made from tree branches. Few of the kokiri knew how to properly defend themselves, so Farore cast spell on the forest. No intruder could enter the forest unless Farore herself granted access, but it came at a price. No kokiri would be able to leave the forest. They would be born, raised, and die there.

Hiddukel had been the first to shatter the paradise of Hyrule. Though he no longer walked the planet's surface, he remained above in the heavens, swaying the course of the planet with his divine magic. The women who he had corrupted continued to pray to him and beg for his guidance and blessing and he gave it to them. They named themselves gerudo. Throughout Hyrule, they became known as a notorious band of thieves. By the orders of Hiddukel, no man would ever be permitted to be one of them, save one. Once every one hundred years, a human male would be born. Hiddukel would guide the gerudo to that male. The gerudo queen would have the honor of sacrificing the male's family to Hiddukel. From there she would raise the child as if he were her own. The boy would grow up and be wed to a member of the gerudo royal family, usually the daughter or niece of the queen. Upon his eighteenth birthday, they shall be wed and they shall rule as king and queen. The birth of their first daughter will be the begin the new royal line of the gerudo.

To serve the gerudo, Hiddukel created a small race of brigands called moblins. The small beasts were expert marksmen. Both the gerudo and the moblins learned how to ride the boars that roamed the desert. While the humans rode horses, the gerudo and the moblins road boars.

No matter what the three goddesses felt, Hiddukel had made a stake in their world and they could do nothing to stop it. They couldn't stop the other gods who came either.

The next god to come was Chemosh, god of the undead. A fear of death possessed the people of the world and Chemosh's promise of ending life appeased them, though they didn't know the truth of his promises. Their bodies lived on, yes, but their souls were forced to move on to the next life, just as everyone else did. All creatures of the undead variety belonged to and worshiped him.

Other gods came and went throughout the ages, though none made quite the impact as the others until the dark days near the end of that era. Then came the days just before the war. Hyrule had finally become stable again. Each race had finally come to acceptor at least abide one another. A stable monarch sat on the throne and light shone throughout the land. Then he came.

The god of all darkness came to Hyrule and covered the world in his essence. The goddesses were struck down when they opposed him. Seeing his power, ambitious mortals, gerudo included, were drawn to him. His army conquered most of the continent and the lands surrounding Hyrule, led by one man. Zeris, the Black was his knight. He led the armies of the dark god to victory time and time again, aided by three men who controlled dark magics beyond that of those loyal to the goddesses.

Seven individuals were all that stood between Hyrule and the dark god; one kokiri, one goron, one zora, one gerudo, one human, and one protector of the royal family, a shieka. The last was a young man, garbed in green, who bore the mark of the goddesses on his left hand. The six of different races called forth the ancient magic that had created them and they forged a blade. This blade was said to be the blade of evil's bane. The goddesses themselves would punish any dark one who touched it.

The man in green took the blade in hand and dispelled the darkness. The three mages who aided the dark god were killed, their magic shattered. The dark knight who led the dark god's armies was banished to another realm by the six of different races, who became known as sages. The dark god was defeated by a mortal, but at a cost. The young man who defied him gave his life to defeat him. The blade he wielded was taken by the sages and hidden. None now live who know where it resides.

In order to protect the land that they loved, the goddesses created an item that held their own divine magic within. They hid the item in the Sacred Realm and gifted the three surviving sages the keys to unlock it. The forth and final object needed to retrieve this mystical weapon was given to the royal family of Hyrule.

**Well, there's my prologue to this Zelda story. I know this was probably kind of preachy and boring, but please, stay with me here. I should update relatively soon and then you can judge the real story. And yes, some of the names of the gods have been stolen, but that's because I suck at naming gods. Everything I make up feels all low and weak. **


	2. Chapter I

**The Legend of Zelda**

**Darkness & Light**

**Chapter I: The Village of Larano**

The sun was just beginning to rise and light was peaking over the trees, into the village of Larano. The red and green moon had set and the blue was nearly obscured from sight by the mountains behind the village. The men in the village were already up, working hard to bring in enough money to support their families. The farmers were in the fields, watering their crops and using a common herbal spray to kill off any insects. The village's only metal smith was already in his shop, the flames in his forge blazing. The baker was busy in her kitchen, bread already in the oven and the next batch waiting to go in. The small ranch that was run by an older man and his young daughter was already bursting with the sounds of all the animals.

This was a common morning in the village. Few changes ever occurred. If a man spent the night in the village he would swear that he had already lived this day before. After spending a week in the village, that man would know that the mail man would arrive in the village at precisely 3:47 p.m., if he read the son accurately. Children would be awake and running around the village at 9:00 a.m. All shops opened at 8:00 a.m. and closed at 8:00 p.m., with a one hour lunch break when the sun reached its zenith. Women would be down at the river at 7:00 a.m. to do laundry.

Yes, whenever there was a break in the daily chain it caused ripples. Everyone in the village would be deeply interested by it and talk and gossip would go on for days. "Master Liam didn't open his forge today!" They would say. "Whatever could be the matter?"

Today was one of those days. You see, Lanaro was a very small village to the far south-west of Hyrule. The nearest town to it was Hylia City, almost thirty miles away. It was not often that anyone truly took note of the activities in or around the village, much less a royal ambassador. A messenger of the royal family was to be passing through the village and spending the night in the house of Mayor Tawn. It was also rumored that he would be escorting the Revered Daughter of Nayru and Princess of Hyrule; Zelda. Everybody was anxious about this news. Young children said that she was an angel! Young boys were anxious to try to impress her, while young girls were awed at the mere thought of her.

"You must be edgy yourself, eh?" The sheriff of Larano jeered to his assistant. The sheriff smiled as the young man he had trained and now worked for him remained silent. The sheriff was a middle-aged man, maybe in his early fifties. Despite that fact, he was in top physical condition. His short brown hair had only the faintest traces of gray, while his thick mustaches were still mud brown. His face was carefree and had few wrinkles. He wore pair of black trousers and a white silk shirt. A plain, unadorned sword was strapped to his hip.

He leaned back in his chair, stretching out his legs and proceeding to cross them. "She is about your age, isn't she?"

The sheriff's assistant smiled weakly at his boss's words and nodded in response. The sheriff's assistant was known well throughout the town. He was a good man with a stout heart. He was known for his willingness to assist anyone in the town with any problem, large or small. His dark blond hair was cut in uneven and untamed locks. His sapphire blues eyes shone with a cheery glow that almost nothing could dim. His muscles were not as distinguished as his mentor's, but it was no secret that many of the girls in the village would lose their train of thought when they saw him, despite the fact that his white shirt was now a dreary gray color and his brown trousers were faded. The fact that he was not well off didn't seem to bother them.

"Well, why are you so quiet today?" The sheriff asked as his apprentice shifted uncomfortably.

"It's nothing, Sir," the young boy replied.

The sheriff chuckled. "I've known you for too long," he stated. "I can tell when you've got your mind on something."

"It's as you said, Sir. I'm edgy. That's all."

"Why are you nervous?" The sheriff inquired with a laugh.

"Most of the people in this village will chase after her carriage and pray to the goddesses that they even see her," he replied. "You and I will actually be there when she arrives."

The sheriff's eye sparkled as his smile widened. "You don't have to meet her, you know. I could give you the day off. When was your last free day? Not since I gave you that, I reckon," he said as he gestured to the wooden sword on the boy's belt.

The boy blushed slightly, knowing that the sheriff was right. He had become very serious about his job when he had received the wooden sword that hung at his hip. He rarely went anywhere without it anymore. It made him feel impressive, for he was the only young man in town who had one. All of the other boys were expected to follow in the footsteps of their fathers. He on the other hand was expected to become a sheriff.

"Thank you for the offer, Sir, but I think I'd rather not miss any work."

"That's what I thought," the sheriff chuckled. "Now get going. I've got nothing for you to do today, so enjoy yourself for once." 

The young man smiled. "Are you sure?" He asked. "I could always double check-,"

"Link, go! Why stick around here when you've got a pretty girl waiting for you?" The sheriff asked. The young man, Link, smiled even wider. "Be here bright and early tomorrow morning! The royal ambassador is expected at noon!"

"Yes sir!" Link replied as he practically bolted out the door. The sheriff shook his head and sighed.

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Link walked out of the sheriff's office and looked around the village. The clouds in the sky suggested that they may have a light rain later on, but for now, it was sunny, which meant that the animals were still outside at the ranch. He loved the ranch. He loved the horses and goats. He loved the pigs and chickens. He enjoyed working with them and keeping them in the ranch. Above all that, there was a certain ranch girl who caught his eye.

The ranch was at the northern end of the village, only a block or so away from the sheriff's office. Link would usually walk over there on his lunch break and be scolded for being late upon returning. It never failed to amuse him how the sheriff could scold him and make merry sport with him at the same time. He kept these thoughts in his mind as he walked across the short bridge that had been built over the stream. Several women, young and older were already doing their laundry. Most of the teenaged girl looked up and watched him as he passed by. Some called out to him. He waved back in response. He could see the jealous looks that some of them had when they same him going towards the ranch.

He ignored those looks and went right through the iron gates that served as the boundary for Lanaro Ranch. The ranch consisted of a barn, a house, and an open grassy area for the goats, cows, and horses to graze. Link assumed that nobody would be in the house at this time of day. As he walked passed the house he saw exactly who he wanted. There she was, standing alone in the fields with cows as her only company. Despite the cool weather, she still wore a short sleeved button up blouse and a dark blue skirt. Her fiery red hair cascaded down behind her, like a waterfall of bright red silk. He smiled just looking at her. She still hadn't noticed him. She had her back to him as she milked a cow in the center of the grassy field.

He walked up behind her and put his hand on her shoulder. Her head jerked up in shock as she felt someone behind her. She sighed with relief upon seeing it was him. "What are you doing here?" She asked as she embraced him closely.

"The sheriff gave me the day off. He said he wanted me to get ready for Princess Zelda's arrival," he replied. She puffed up her cheeks and glared at him in mock jealousy. Her emerald colored eyes twinkled with good humor. "Worried?" He asked as he pushed a lock of hair out of her face.

"Should I be?" She asked.

Link bent down and kissed her playfully on the nose. "Nope," he replied cheerfully. She grinned mischievously and wrapped her arms around him. Her slender hand ran through his untamed locks and pulled his head down towards her. She kissed him deeply on the lips. She moaned as the passion overtook her and she became light headed. Slowly, unwillingly, she broke the kiss. They held each other at arm's length.

"You can tell her that if she goes near you, I will personally hunt her pampered royal ass down and stab her in her sleep," she said innocently.

Link feigned shock at her fierce words. "Wow, you must be really worried," he teased her.

"Girl has to secure what's hers," she replied.

"You know," he said seductively. "There are simpler ways of securing things," he whispered into her ear as his hand found her bottom and patted it. She smacked it away playfully and looked up at him in mock annoyance.

"She'll toss you that bone before I do," the ranch girl said in exasperated tones.

"Really?"

"Really!" She assured him.

"You know how persuasive I can be," he told her.

"Do your worst," she urged him.

Link lowered his head so that his lips were right beside her ear. "You know you want to," he whispered.

"That the best you've got?" She whispered back. "My father went to visit Mayor Tawn. We're the only ones here. This could be your shot."

"You'd be the envy of every girl in Lanaro," he whispered.

"Hmm…" she mused. "Maybe I should reconsider."

"I think you should," he told her.

"Malon!" Link's eyes widened and she giggled as he jumped away from her.

"I thought you said your father-,"

"I lied!" She interrupted. She turned around before he could respond. "Yes, Daddy?" She called. Her father, Talon, was standing at the door to the barn, waiting.

"I appreciate that you have a boyfriend, but you still have chores to do!"

"Yes, Daddy," she replied.

"Link, care to help?" Talon inquired.

"What can I do, Sir?" He asked.

"Get on that wild horse o' yours and deliver some milk to the mayor!" Talon called.

"Sure thing!" Link responded. Talon turned away and walked back into the barn. Link turned to face Malon, who was giggling furiously. "That wasn't funny!" He snapped. Her only response was another fit of giggling. Link shook his head as he walked passed her. He couldn't keep himself from smacking her behind as he walked by. Malon smiled sheepishly as he walked away.

"I love you," she told him.

"I love you too," he replied.

Link started for the horse stalls in the barn. Inside he saw his horse in the closest stall. As Talon had said, his horse was a wild beast, yielding only to Link and Malon's command. She was a dark brown colored mare with a white mane. Link patted her softly on the neck for a moment before he opened the door to her stall. The horse neighed softly as he saddled her and climbed up onto her back. With a soft kick, Link urged the horse forward and out of the barn. He directed her to the front of the house, where Malon was standing beside a small box.

"There are three milk bottles in here," she told him as she handed him the parcel. "Be careful with them."

"I will. I only ever dropped one bottle," he retorted.

"We've got all day, so don't rush," she instructed. "There's no need to overdo it with Epona."

"Malon, I'm delivering milk! There's nothing to worry about!" He assured her.

She shook her head with a smile and patted the horse gently. "Go," she said dismissively.

"I'll be back in an hour or so," he told her.

"See you then."

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"Thank ye, m' boy," Mayor Tawn said cheerfully as Link handed him the box that contained the milk bottles. "Talon was a lil short on 'is last delivery."

"I'll let him know," Link assured the mayor.

"Thank ye. M' misses will be happy wif dis," the mayor said as he shook the box.

"Mr. Mayor, I wouldn't-,"

CRASH!!!

Link winced as the bottles of milk shattered as the bottom of the cardboard box fell out. The mayor let out a mourning cry as he saw what he had done. "Noooo!" He cried. He looked at the spilt milk sadly and then looked up at Link. "Don't s'ppose ol' Talon could send s'more?"

Link nodded. "I'll ask him about it," he replied.

"Well, thank ye fer dat," he said dourly. "Now, Link, I take it y'll be dere toomorrow when de princess arrives?"

"Yes sir," he replied.

"Well I teek it dat y'll be wantin ta be wearin a real sword on yer hip?" he asked.

Link looked at him in some hopeful shock. He hadn't really thought about it. Now that he did, he supposed that it would be foolish for an assistant sheriff to address a princess with not but a wooden sword strapped to his hip.

"Heh heh, dat's what I tought!" The mayor said with a toothy grin. "I've alredy talked wit da blacksmit. He's gonna have it ready fer ya by da morning. You's gonna stop at da smitty and pick it on up befor ya come on ovar here."

"Yes sir," Link replied, grinning from ear to ear.

"Now git!"

Link turned and started towards the door. "Bye," Link called back.

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Link looked around mildly as Epona slowly trotted through the village. The wind was blowing lightly through his shaggy hair and across the stream that trickled through from Lake Hylia. He could see a few of the children that he would take care of on occasion, running through the village, playing with toy swords and slingshots. Link watched as they wrestled and attempted to strike each other and chuckled. He could remember the days not so long ago when he had been like that. He remembered the days when he had dreamed of being a brave soldier, riding into battle on the back of a gold dragon, carrying a shimmering blade and a polished shield. He could remember when he had dreamed of striking down great beasts and foes in the name of the king.

Since then his ambition had died down somewhat. He was content with the idea of taking over as the village's sheriff and assisting Malon when she took over the ranch. He was more than satisfied with the idea of being a common country man with who would put in an honest day's work every day. He liked the idea of coming home to his beautiful wife and maybe a couple of children.

"Link!" He turned his head and saw two of the children coming towards him. The first was a young boy who was holding a wooden sword. The second was the boy's younger sister, who held a deku stick that she was using as her own make-shift weapon.

"Hello, Kyle, Reana," Link said pleasantly.

"Hey Link, are you gonna meet the princess?" Kyle asked eagerly.

Link chuckled at the young boy's enthusiasm. "Yeah, I am," he replied.

"Ooooh, Malon must be so jealous!" Reana cued.

Link laughed at the little girl's childish attitude towards the whole thing. "It's not like that, Reana," he told her with a shake of his head.

"Are you gonna leave Malon for Zelda?" Kyle asked enthusiastically.

"No!" Link snapped at him.

"You're gonna leave Malon!" Kyle accused.

"I am not!" The young man snapped.

"Yes you are!" Reana said pointing her finger.

Link shook his head and urged Epona to trot faster with a small kick in the flanks. The horse started to move faster, causing the children to jog to keep up.

"What are you and Zelda going to do tomorrow?" Kyle called after him. At that point it didn't matter, because Epona was going to fast for the children to keep up with. The horse galloped away from the main square of the village and back towards the ranch.

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The loud sound of metal pounding against metal sounded again as the hammer came down against the anvil. The roaring fire of his forge had been blazing for the passed several hours. Sweat trickled down his bare torso like a river, deluging the ashen ground that he stood on. His hammer came down again on the steel that was glowing red hot from the flames that had recently engulfed it. Sparks flew from the blazing metal.

He roughly grabbed the hilt and submerged the blade in a vat of cold water. The blade sizzled as steam rose from the water. He pulled the blade out soon after and gently set the sword down on his workbench and continued his work. Only a few short hours later, the sword was complete. It was not a beautiful weapon, nor was it that of a royal knight. It was not something that a noble lord would carry into battle.

Few would ever realize the true significance of the blade that had just been forged. Few would ever know that the blacksmith in an out of the way village like Larano had just forged the blade that would be carried into battle by a man who would become a great hero…


	3. Chapter II

**The Legend of Zelda**

**Darkness & Light**

**Chapter II:  
**

The sun had not yet risen over the mountains in the east. The moons were just setting in the west. The blue and green moons still cast their pale light on the village of Larano, while the red moon was already obscured by the mountains beyond the desert. The light of the blue moon glittered through the windows of the small shrine dedicated to Nayru, the Goddess of Wisdom. The light illuminated the shadows that would seek to engulf the divine beauty inside the shrine. With an almost divine anger, the blue moon seemed to repel the shadow that closed in on the goddess's faithful servant.

Princess Zelda was the only person inside the shrine of Nayru. The morning worship had not yet begun and would not begin for several more hours. Darkness still filled the sky and the stars still sparkled. The blue and green moons were the only sources of light in the village, for there were almost none awake. The princess did not seem to take note of this. Upon her arrival in Larano, she had demanded that her carriage be brought to the temple of the village. Unfortunately, Larano was a very small village and held no temple within its borders. There were three shrines, one dedicated to each of the goddesses. The royal female had elected the shrine of Nayru, due to the three golden triangles that marked her left hand, and the lower left triangle, that glowed with a pale light. The lower left triangle; the triangle of Nayru. Since birth, the princess had heard naught but the tales of the blue goddess and her chosen children. Since childhood, the royal lady had not uttered a single prayer to the red or the green moons, to the top triangle or the lower right, to the Goddess of Power or Courage. Her faith was placed completely in the hands of the Goddess of Wisdom.

The princess knelt at the altar, her hands folded and her head bowed in reverence. Silent prayers passed through her lips and to the heavens. Her words were of thanks, that she had been safe in her journey. Her words were of request, that next day's journey would be just as safe. Anyone who saw her would think that she was truly a priestess of the goddess. Her dress was the same light blue color that the clerics of Nayru wore. The torso section of her dress bore the symbol of the blue winged griffin, favored creature of the goddess. Her earrings were golden triangles that dangled from her lobes. Her golden fountain of hair was pulled back by a cerulean colored ribbon.

Princess Zelda's eyes flared open. She finished the last words of her prayer and uncrossed her hands. They fell limply to her lap. A long sigh escaped her. It was not a sigh of exasperation or relief or annoyance, but one of genuine happiness. She slowly stood up and turned around. She placed one foot in front of the other and began to walk towards the exit. As she walked passed, candles sparked alive and torches burst to life. After what seemed like an eternity, she came to the door and pushed it open.

Outside, the soldiers who had guarded her faithfully were fighting an enemy far more dreadful than any beast or scoundrel: sleep. They had marched for nearly twenty hours straight, stopping only once for a short meal break and again for a very short rest. Their armor was heavy and only aided the tenacious enemy. Not only were they starved, overburdened, and tired, but all of them knew that they would be able to expect the same thing the next morning.

Princess Zelda looked on them with barely concealed disdain. They were scumbags. The fourth night of their journey had been pleasant enough. They had arrived in Hylia City and they were to stay in an actual inn instead of camping in the middle of Hyrule Field. The men had been ordered to carry her baggage for her. Several of them had taken the bags up to her room, gone through them, stolen things. Several articles of personal clothing, several jewels, and her entire pouch of rupees had vanished. None of the men claimed to know anything about it, but she knew otherwise. She had found a pair of her underwear in the men's encampment only a day later.

After that incident, she had kept an open ear and listened to their conversations at night. Many of them spoke of nothing but sick and sadistic ways to pleasure a woman. The princess had been disgusted by the mere thought of having those "tricks" performed on her. She walked towards the captain, a royal ambassador for her father. "We will go to the Lord Mayor's residence," she informed him. The man nodded gruffly. "Alright. Let's go," she ordered.

"Men!" The captain shouted. "Princess wants to leave! Let's go!" He shouted.

"Yes sir!" They all responded.

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"Milord, may I please present, Revered Daughter of Nayru and heir to the throne of Hyrule, Princess Zelda!" The servant spoke reverently as he introduced the princess the Lord Mayor of Larano.

The mayor nodded and dismissed the servant with a wave of his hand. "Weel now, lets have a good look atcha," he said as he inspected the princess closely. "It's been a few yeers since I sawed you, yer highness," he said with a bow.

"It has been too long," she replied, though she did not truly remember the old man before her. It must have been from when she had been very young.

"Last time I sawed you, yous was just a baby in yo nurse's awms."

"I scarcely remember those days," she replied.

"Naturally," he agreed with a nod. His eyes went wide as the mayor realized that he was being very rude. He turned and indicated the two people standing behind him. "Princess Zelda, dis is my villege's sherff, Garik Don-Villo." 

The princess walked forward and extended her hand as if to shake the sheriff's. This action was shocking to the boy who stood behind the sheriff, but the older man smiled warmly and shook her hand.

"Not often a princess will allow common folk to touch her," the sheriff commented.

"Not often indeed," Zelda agreed. "And who is this?"

The sheriff turned back and indicated for his apprentice to step forward. "This is my deputy sheriff, Link," he said as he clapped the young man on the back.

"Hello," Link mumbled nervously.

"It is a pleasure," she replied. "What is your full name?"

"It's just Link," he replied, trying to gain control of his nerves. "I… I never knew my parents. My mother died birthing me and my father was dead before that."

"I apologize," the princess said quickly. "I did not realize-,"

"Don't apologize," he interrupted. "I'm alright with it," he told her as he subconsciously moved to scratch his cheek with his left hand. Zelda's eyes focused on his hand. Her eyes went wide and she could not hide the astonishment in her expression. The mayor didn't notice, but the sheriff and his apprentice did.

"Princess, are you all right?" The sheriff asked.

"Your ha-," she stopped herself quickly. "I… I'm fine," she replied. "Please, the rode has been long. If there is room, I would like to retire."

"O' course," the mayor replied with a nod. "You dere," he said pointing out a female servant. "Take da princess ta her room an' be quick 'bout it!" He ordered.

"Yes Mayor Tawn," the servant replied with a slight bow. "My Lady, this way," the servant said as she indicated the way.

"Thank you," Zelda replied, and quickly fled the room.

"What happened to her?" The sheriff asked.

"I don't know," Link replied. "One moment she was fine, the next she looked at me like I was a ghost!"

"Strange," Garik commented.

"Don't ya worry 'bout it, son," the mayor advised. "These royal types is always got to make a big ol' show wen dey come an' go! Dat's all dat was," he assured the young man.

Link shook his head ruefully. "I don't know…"

"Weel if yer really spooked 'bout it, ask her yerself t'night! You're dining wit us t'night!"

"Ask her tonight?" Link wondered aloud.

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Once the servant was gone, Zelda quickly locked the door to her bedroom and looked around to make sure no one was watching. When she felt the room was secure she pulled the white silk glove from her left hand and inspected herself carefully. When she had been born the mark of the goddesses had been on the back of her left hand. Three triangles, made purely of her skin, but colored gold had been a mystery. The clerics said that she was a special child, chosen by the gods!

Now, here, in this small, out of the way village, she had found another who bore the same mark as she. What could this boy possibly have in him that would cause the gods to even glance at him? She was of royal blood! Her skills in the mystic arts were unsurpassed by other girls her age! Now she found that some boy with absolutely no magical aura was given the same sacred gift that she was!

Her fists clenched as the anger and shock flowed freely through her. She had never been put on the same level as another human being before and now the gods themselves shoved her there, and in no gentle manner.

She looked at the three golden triangles that marked her hand. The lower right triangle glowed slightly brighter than the other two. That was said to be the triangle of Nayru. Zelda berated herself for not paying more attention to the mark on the boy's hand. She wasn't sure if he bore the mark of Farore or Din, not that it made much of a difference. The point was that the boy was a threat. The power that that triangle brought a person was far more powerful than any other mystical relic on the planet. There were legends told of the Dark War, where the three men who were given the gifts of the goddesses fell to the lure of the Dark God's power. These three sorcerers became the three mages who would go on to devastate Hyrule and its people. It was said that only the Great Hero and his mystical blade had been able to stop them.

"We don't have a hero or a divine sword," Zelda muttered. She looked out the window and saw the blue moon just about obscured by the mountains. "Don't leave us," she whispered.

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That evening, Princess Zelda was in much finer spirits. She had bathed, changed into a clean dinner dress, and was overall in a better mood. She had remained in her room for most of the day, leaving only a few times to speak with the sheriff. When the chefs in the kitchen were prepared, a servant informed Zelda that she was to go to the dining room. The princess arrived to find Captain Janks, Mayor Tawn, Sheriff Villo, and Link all waiting for her. Link held out her chair for her and pushed it in when she was seated. They joined in prayer to thank the goddesses for their meal, and then they began to eat. Mayor Tawn was a fine gentlemen, having been used to table manors and dinner conversation. Link was no professional, but he was at least polite. Captain Janks on the other hand had the manners of a pig. He took meat from the table with a knife he kept on his belt. He merely sliced it as if it were a foe in battle and chomped it noisily. He ate quickly, and grabbed at whatever food was nearest, as if there was a threat of it disappearing.

Everyone politely ignored his manners and ate silently. When they were finished, the servants took the food away and they were left to chat. Zelda was the first to strike up a conversation.

"So, Mr. Link, what do you do for the village?" She inquired.

Link had expected her to ignore him after their brief meeting that morning. Her question took him completely by surprise. He quickly shook off the shock, though, and answered her question. "I'm the assistant sheriff," he replied.

"Ah, yes. As you said before. But what do you do for the village?"

"Well, Princess, I… I ah… well…,"

"Link deals with the less complicated jobs in the village," the sheriff answered, seeing that his apprentice was tongue tied.

"Clearly shows that you never let him talk to a woman," the royal captain commented. "Boy looks like he hasn't been around a woman with a pair a' knockers since he was sucking on his mama's tit."

The mayor nearly choked on the wine he was sipping and the sheriff's eyes went wide. Link's fist clenched angrily, but he held himself back. The princess ignored the comment. She knew it had been sexual and therefore she ignored it, like she did the rest of her soldiers' comments.

"And when was the last time a woman touched you," Link muttered under his breath.

"What was that, boy?" Janks demanded.

"Nothing," Link replied.

"I distinctly heard you mutter something!" The captain said as he stood up.

"I asked when was the last time a woman touched you!" Link snapped irritably.

"Link!" The sheriff snapped, grabbing Link's arm in warning.

Janks quickly rose from his seat and slammed his fist on the table, causing everything to shake. "How dare you!" He seethed.

"Captain Janks, take your seat!" Zelda ordered.

The captain ignored her. His hand went instinctively to the sword that was strapped to his hip. Link rose quickly and backed away. "You think you can escape me, boy?" He jeered. "You couldn't escape a drunken moblin!"

"That's enough!" Garik roared as he stood up, drawing the sword on his hip. "Sit down!"

Janks drew his own and the two blades touched gently. "Don't you dare give me orders, Sheriff! I am the captain of the Royal Knights of Hyrule and Royal Ambassador to King Luthenor!"

"And I, the daughter of your king, order you to stand down!" Zelda ordered with a calm deadliness in her voice.

The captain swung his sword at Garik with a forceful strike. The sheriff deflected the blade with his own weapon, and parried with a thrust of his own. The royal ambassador for the king of Hyrule kicked the table's leg, causing it to collapse. Water, wine, fruit, and meat went flying. Janks kicked the table again, causing it to fall backwards, knocking Zelda to the floor, and covering her in whatever food had been left on the table.

The captain ignored the fact that his charge was pinned to the ground by the great dining table, and kept his eyes on his enemy. He twirled his blade expertly, to test it. He was not used to fighting without armor. He felt lighter, but naked. Any blow could be fatal at this point. Things he wouldn't normally consider could be the death of him. He analyzed his plight discretely. His eyes betrayed none of his fear. His lip curled into a snarl.

The captain lunged at the sheriff. Garik stepped to the side and swung his own blade. Janks blocked quickly and kicked at the sheriff. The kick landed on the upper thigh, causing the sheriff to lose his balance and stumble backwards. He could have regained his posture easily, if it had not been for a golden wine goblet on the ground. His heel landed back on it, causing him to fall to the ground. Janks moved in on his foe, blade held high. He brought it up and swung it back down in a wide arc.

Before the blade connected with the sheriff's head, Janks was knocked from his feet, by a forceful blow. He was knocked to the ground and felt the weight of another body on top of his. In rage, he knocked the young assistant sheriff from him and scrambled to his feet. He smiled when he saw that his attack had not been wasted. Link had only prevented a fatal blow, but the sheriff had still been hit. The captain's sword was now imbedded in his right shoulder, clearly piercing the bone. It would be a miracle if the sheriff ever regained the use of his arm.

Janks marched up to Garik's writhing form and wrapped his hand around the hilt of his sword. He began to twist the blade, causing the sheriff to scream in utter agony. Janks laughed manically at the older man's pain.

"Get away from him!" Link cried.

Janks turned and looked back at the assistant sheriff. "What'd you say, boy?" He demanded as he turned around, so they were separated only by distance. Link had an almost feral look in his face. He was holding his sword up, as if he would strike at any moment.

"Don't touch him!" He repeated.

"Or else what?" Janks laughed as he wrenched the blade from the sheriff's shoulder, causing a pained howl.

"Get away from him!" Link shrieked as he dashed at Janks.

The young man swung manically, taking Janks by surprise. The captain had to move fast to block all of the attacks. He was using a very large two handed sword, while Link was wielding much faster, single handed long sword.

Link grabbed a glass bowl from what was left of the table and hurled it at Janks. The captain swung his greater sized weapon in order to deflect it. He missed, slightly, which allowed the bowl to smash Janks in the face. Janks was thrown backwards, throwing his defenses to the wind. Before the captain had a chance to recover, Link rushed at him and ran him through.

Janks gasped in shock. The royal captain stumbled backwards and collapsed to the ground. Link's blade connected with the ground before the captain's back, causing it to shoot out of his stomach on impact. The captain's body twitched and writhed before the captain died.

Link stumbled backwards in shock and tripped over a piece of broken tableware. He trembled at the sight of what he had done. The young man had just murdered a member of the Hylian Royal Guard…

"Farore!" Mayor Tawn whispered.


End file.
